Improved marine life-preserver



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN BAPTISTE VERDIER, OF PARS, EMPlRE OF FRANCE.

IM PROVED MARINE LIFE-PRESERVEF'L.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,654, dated February 16, 1864.

T0 (LZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JEAN BAPTISTE VER- DIER, of Par-is, in the Empire of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Belts; and I do hereby declare the followingto bei a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beingihad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My improved life-belt consists'of two padscontaining buoyant material. in combination with certain cords, an adjustable strap, and a neckyoke, the' whole being constructed and arranged for attachment to the body, as described hereinafter, so as to eiicctually buoy up the wea-rer in the water, and at the same time leave his arms at liberty.

My invention further consists in combining with the said pad a neck-strap, by the aid of which the life-belt is prevented 'from being displaced.

In order to enable others to make and apply my invention, I will now'proceed to describe the manner of constructing and using they same.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specilication, Figure I' is a front view of my improved lifebelt; Fig. 2, a plan view, and Fig. 3 an end `view.

Similarletters refer to similar parte throughout the several views.

A. and B. are two pads or cushions of the form or approximating to the form represented in the drawings, land consists of two bags of suitable fabric packed with ysuch substance as will L ake them of the desired buoyancy. The pad A is furnished at each end with projections @,to eyelets-in which are secured the ends of cords D, which pass through projections or ears on the pad B.- In front ot' the pad A, and partly overlapping the ends ofthe ame, is a strap, e, which passes through stai l ples or guidepieces o, attached to the said pad, one end ofthe strap being secured tothe cords d at one end of the life beltand other to the similar cords, Lat the opposite end of the belt. The strap e is provided with a suitable buckle, j', by means of which the strap may be shortcned or lengthened, as desired, andthe pads A and .E be brought nearer to or removed farther from each other.

To the pad B are secured the two straps s and s', which are connected together by the cord or band g.

In applying the lifebelt or life-preservar to the body the inside of the pad A is placed against the chest and the inside of the pad B against the back., 'lhe band or cord g-is placed over the head and around the neck.

The strap e is then tightened so as to cause the pads A and B to bear with sufficient force against the body. The belt is then iirmly secnred, and is prevented from being displaced by the neckband g.

It will beobserved that the life-belt is so formed and constructed that while it buoys up the wearer thelatter has his arms at liberty.

.The pads may be provided with pockets and yother appliances for containing food, water,

and other articles serviceable in case of shipwreck.

I claim as my invention and desire tc secure by Letters Patent-- The pads A and B, containing buoyant material, in combination with the cords d d, adjustable strap e, and neckba-nd g, the whole being constructed .and arranged for application to the body, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification before two subscribin g wit nesses. v

J. BTE. VERDIER.

Witnesses:

S. Ric-HARD, E. THERMAN GoULD. 

